Page 3 of Rami

Rami tugged at his shirt collar. He wasn’t stupid enough to turn down a hundred grand, but he also wasn’t going to send his guys on a dead-end mission. “I can’t promise you we’ll be able to find her. It’s been over two weeks, Gigi,” he said, remembering to use her first name and hoping to hell it got through to her. “I hate to say this, but the odds of finding your sister are slim to none—and the odds of her being alive are just about impossible.”

There. He’d said it. Now he was the asshole.

Gigi’s eyes clouded with grief and her lip trembled. August drilled him with a gaze furious enough to murder him.

Rami shrugged one shoulder at his employee. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Lie to her? He didn’t have the energy for that shit.

August sat on the edge of Rami’s desk, his big-ass body inches from Gigi’s much smaller one. “Gig,” he said.

Her eyes flitted to his.

“If she’s alive, I’ll find her.”

If Rami could have kicked his dumb friend off the desk, he would’ve. “We need to talk,” Rami said abruptly, flinging back his chair as he stood. “Gigi, we’ll get back to you later today—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said defiantly, not taking her eyes off August. “I know she’s alive, August.” Her shaky hand landed over her heart. “I can feel her.”

August nodded and stood to help Gigi to her feet. “Give us a few minutes, okay? Go on to Pearl’s desk. She’s taking lunch orders and we’ll get you something.”

Normally Rami would have frowned on his team members buying lunch for people who weren’t clients, but he’d buy the lady a boat if she went somewhere else with this far-reaching request.

“I’m not hungry.”

August cupped her elbow and Rami’s senses sizzled. Something was up with these two, and when he found out what it was, he was going to beat August’s ass for making promises that involved his business.

“Eat or find someone else,” August said sharply.

Gigi huffed and slid her purse over her arm. “Fine. But please—hurry.”

August ushered her outside and closed the door behind her.

Rami leaned forward and rested his fists on top of his desk. Anger vibrated his muscles enough to shake the damn wood. “What was that about?” he hissed.

August waved him off as if he hadn’t just accepted a job without clearance. “I’ll handle it.”

“The fuck you will,” Rami blurted. “You’re gonna give me a bad name by taking jobs outside of our capability.”

“Is it really, though?” August asked, lowering his voice. “I mean, c’mon. We’ve done tougher rescue missions—I’d say a cave in Afghanistan’s a hell of a lot worse than wherever they took Ivy.”

Rami snorted. “Yeah, and we both left that world for a reason. Now you want back in?”

“This is different. She doesn’t deserve this.”

He held up his hands. “I agree with that. But we’ve got other contracts we’re responsible for. I can’t just throw them all away to put everyone on the payroll on this gig.”

“A hundred Gs should cover any shortfall, no?”

Rami glowered at him. “It’s not just about the money. It’s our reputation.”

“Then don’t worry about it.” August shrugged. “I’ll deal with it myself.”

Rami ran his tongue along his teeth. “You bangin’ her? ’Cause I don’t know if you noticed, but she’s got a rock on her hand big enough to knock you out.”

Anger flashed in August’s eyes, and he lifted a pointed finger. “Mind your business.”

“It is my business.” Rami straightened and gestured to the sign on the wall at his back. “Literally. Now tell me what the deal is and maybe I’ll help.”

August’s body relaxed, and he began pacing. “She and I had a fling. Short. That’s all.” He dragged his hand over his close-cropped hair.

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